birthday gathering for 15 yr old...help

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
birthday gathering for 15 yr old...help
6
Mon, 03-05-2007 - 12:29pm
my daughter is turning 15 on Saturday. We aren't doing the traditional "party" in the sense of the whole organized, themed type of thing, but she wants to have about 6-8 (co-ed) friends come over for a few hours. We were thinking 4-8, and if it's not raining, they can do some stuff outside...then I'll order pizza (and I'll have a veggie tray, chips and soda) and then they can hang out some more and then have cake. I don't want her to feel like it's "gay" as she refers to so many things. I am trying to figure out what things to have available for them to do. Outside: we have horseshoes, volleyball, soccer balls, footballs, tennis equipment, and a few other yard things. We have a wide variety of indoor games....but I have no idea if any of that would be perceived as weird. We've always had a blast playing a lot of these games when there are crowds of people...but then teenagers are like a different species sometimes, LOL!!!! We have also never entertained both boys and girls, so I am clueless. Our house does not have a basement (none of them do around here unfortunately) so while inside, they'll have to hang out in the fam. room/first floor area. I am wishing we had air hockey, ping pong or foosball in the garage, but we don't. I've been looking for used ones, but coming up empty.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2005
Mon, 03-05-2007 - 12:50pm
we were fortunate enough , my dd turned 16 in feb and we have a finished basement. we have an air hockey table, pool table, fuseball table and MUSIC>..teens need music so besure there is plenty of it..they further like their privacy..they don't like parents learking around. hopefully it will be nice weather, i don't know where u live but here we have snow.:() ... music and food and cool movies are always good. finger foods.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 03-05-2007 - 2:46pm
Oh how I miss having a basement.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Mon, 03-05-2007 - 3:32pm

With all the games and equipment you have available, it sounds to me like things will be fine ... just let them hang out and figure out what they want to do. You might want to talk to your DD beforehand though, so she has some idea of what to do to guide the party along if it doesn't take off with a bang. She can get a volleyball game started, charades ... whatever. As the bday girl and hostess, she'll need to take the initiative to get the ball rolling. Plus if she decides later the party was indeed 'gay', she has only herself to thank.

I also think having the music on is a good idea. It sets the tone for 'party' right when the guests arrive.

Edited to add P.S.: Even though your DD doesn't want the whole 'theme' bday, put up some balloons or decorations or something so things seem a bit more festive than usual.




Edited 3/5/2007 3:34 pm ET by hydrangea_blue

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Tue, 03-06-2007 - 6:05am
My DD has only been to a few co-ed parties at someone's house, and mostly what they do is just "hang out" and listen to music. I agree with having a few DVD movies around. Also, DD's friends played Cranium last time they were here. But don't be surprised if they just sit and talk and eat.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Tue, 03-06-2007 - 8:59am
I think they'll do fine as long as there is plenty of food and music!
Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Tue, 03-06-2007 - 9:09am
Thanks everyone....
I am just going to pull out everything I think they might find entertaining and have it there...if they use it, fine...if not, fine too. We have about 4 board type games too if they want to do those, I'll put them out...but I am not going to get involved other than occasionally walking through and when I'm serving food. I really much prefer this type of party to the kind I have to do with the younger kids...those are exhausting!